Drip tray for refrigerators

ABSTRACT

A drip tray for a refrigerator has upper and lower panels with an insulating panel between them. The upper and lower panels slope towards a water outlet orifice provided in the tray. Along a side of the tray there are several apertures for the passage of air.

a Q I Unlted States Patent [151 3,662,912 Calle [451 May 16, 1972 s41 DRIP TRAY FOR REFRIGERATORS 2,187,274 1/1940 Loveless ..220/9 B x 2,501,540 3/1950 Ryan ..312/229 X [72] Inventor: Jose Luis Rodriguez Calle, Mitarto No. 2,

Guipuzcoa, Spain Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair 7 Assistant Examiner-James R. Garrett [22] Filed 1970 Attorney-Richards & Geier [2]] Appl. No.: 85,656

- [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. .Q ..220/9 R, 220/ l C A drip tray for a refrigerator has upper and lower panels with [51 Int. Cl..... ..B65d 25/18 an insulating panel between them. The upper and lower panels [58] Field ofSearch 220/9 R,9B, DIG. 6, DXG. 27; slope towards a wa er outlet orifice provided in the tray. 312/229 Along a side of the tray there are several apertures for the passage of air. [56] References Cited 5 Cl I 5 Drawing n UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.705928 3/1929 Lambert. ..220/9 B Z9 6 1' j ,l 1 1 1 rllmrlmmmnmm 7 l /7 l 5 E 1 Z l/.? J L /5' Patgnted May 16, 1972 3,662,912

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ].L,R,Ca.ZZe.

wwuiqgw ATTORNEY;

Patented May 16, 1972 3,662,912

2 Shoots-Shunt 2 ATTORNEYS DRIP TRAY FOR REFRIGERATORS This invention relates to drip trays for use in cold storage devices, particularly domestic refrigerators.

Drip trays are used in refrigerators to collect water produced by defrosting the evaporator and to direct the water toward a receiver.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an improved drip tray having means properly controlling the cooling effect within the refrigerator.

Other objects will become apparent in the course of the following specification.

In the accomplishment of the objective of the present invention it was found desirable to provide a drip tray for a refrigerator, comprising upper and lower panels secured together with an insulating panel between them, said upper and lower panels being formed so as to slope towards a water outlet orifice in the tray, and along a side of the tray a plurality of apertures for the passage of air.

The apertures can be opened or closed depending on whether a cold air current is required or not between the evaporator and the main body of the refrigerator.

The requirement for such an air current is dependent on the temperature outside the refrigerator, and it is this current that keeps the temperature of the refrigerator interior between the preset limits, e.g., between and minus Centigrade. If the environment is not too warm the apertures of the drip tray are closed so there is no air current between the evaporator and the rest of the refrigerator and the cooling effect is reduced. On the other hand, if the environment is relatively warm, the apertures are opened to cause an air current to flow to keep the temperature of the main body between the required limits.

The invention will appear more clearly when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a drip tray in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section along the line 17-17 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section along the line 18-18 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section along the line 19-19 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section along the lines -20 in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The drip tray shown in the drawings comprises a lower panel 1 joined to an upper panel 2 and an insulating panel 3 between panels 1 and 2.

The tray is shaped so as to have sloping sections 4 at the confluence of which there is an outlet orifice 5 for water collected during defrosting. The orifice 5 will be in practice be located above a receiver for the water when the tray is resting on a tray support 6.

A plurality of apertures 7 are provided along one side of the upper panel 2 through which the evaporator communicates with the rest of the interior of the refrigerator, thus allowing a cold air current into the refrigerator volume.

The apertures 7 are protected by projecting curved shields 8 formed in the upper panel 2 so as to prevent falling water from passing through the apertures 7, since this water could turn to ice, thus obstructing the free passing of the air through the apertures.

Air flow through the apertures 7 is controlled by a sliding plate 9 which is also provided with apertures 10.

The sliding plate 9 is movable in such manner that the apertures 10 of the sliding plate 9 may coincide with the apertures of the upper panel 2, so as to allow air flow, or not coincide, in which case air flow will be obstructed.

The sliding plate 9 is provided with a downwardly projecting part 11 with a slot 12 therein, in which slat a pin 13 at the end of a crank arm 14 is located.

Crank arm 14 is mounted on an actuating shaft 15 which can be rotated by actuating a knob 16 located at the front of the drip tray. This rotation produces horizontal movement of the sliding plate 9 so as to open or close the apertures 7.

I claim:

1. A drip tray for a refrigerator, comprising an upper panel, a lower panel, an insulating panel between said upper and lower panels, said panels being interconnected and having a water outlet orifice, said upper and lower panels having portions sloping toward said orifice, one of said panels having a side portion which extends outwardly in the general plane of said one panel beyond the corresponding side of the other of said panels and is provided with a plurality of apertures for the passage of air.

2. A drip tray in accordance with claim 1, including a plate having apertures therein and slidable beneath said side portion to close and open the apertures of said side portion, whereby air flow through the apertures of said side portion is controlled.

3. A drip tray in accordance with claim 1, wherein said one panel has shields projecting over said apertures along said side portion.

4. A drip tray in accordance with claim 1, wherein said one panel is the upper panel.

5. A drip tray in accordance with claim 2, including an actuating shaft extending across said panels to said side portion and a crank arm carried by an end of said shaft, said crank arm having a free end engaging a slot formed in said plate, whereby a rotation of said shaft moves said plate to open and close the air passage apertures. 

1. A drip tray for a refrigerator, comprising an upper panel, a lower panel, an insulating panel between said upper and lower panels, said panels being interconnected and having a water outlet orifice, said upper and lower panels having portions sloping toward said orifice, one of said panels having a side portion which extends outwardly in the general plane of said one panel beyond the corresponding side of the other of said panels and is provided with a plurality of apertures for the passage of air.
 2. A drip tray in accordance with claim 1, including a plate having apertures therein and slidable beneath said side portion to close and open the apertures of said side portion, whereby air flow through the apertures of said side portion is controlled.
 3. A drip tray in accordance with claim 1, wherein said one panel has shields projecting over said apertures along said side portion.
 4. A drip tray in accordance with claim 1, wherein said one panel is the upper panel.
 5. A drip tray in accordance with claim 2, including an actuating shaft extending across said panels to said side portion and a crank arm carried by an end of said shaft, said crank arm having a free end engaging a slot formed in said plate, whereby a rotation of said shaft moves said plate to open and close the air passage apertures. 